Is Construction Underway on Long Point Road in Mount Pleasant?
Yes. As of summer 2026, two separate projects are underway at the Long Point Road/I-526 interchange in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. The Town of Mount Pleasant is building a new slip lane and sidewalk to relieve the backup drivers face turning onto Long Point Road, and a larger, federally funded state interchange rebuild — carrying an executed construction contract as of August 2026 — is expected to take about three and a half years. Together, the two projects target the daily delays drivers have faced for years getting on and off I-526 near the Wando Welch Port terminal.
By 32 South Properties | September 30, 2026
If you’ve driven through Mount Pleasant at almost any hour, you already know the spot: the I-526 interchange at Long Point Road, where a short turn can eat up a big chunk of your morning. That’s finally starting to change.
Why Long Point Road Has Been a Daily Headache
This isn’t a new complaint. Long Point Road sits right where heavy commuter traffic meets a steady stream of port trucks heading to and from the Wando Welch Terminal, and the mismatch has been backing up traffic for years.
Kate Sherman, manager of Summit Coffee near the interchange, described it to Live5News in blunt terms: turning onto Long Point Road “currently takes 10, 15, even 20 minutes sometimes.” She also pointed to the real cause — “526 is definitely like very heavy with 18-wheeler trucks… the port is really receiving all of them and so that small off-ramp really gets clogged up.”
If you’ve felt that same frustration — whether you live nearby or you’re weighing whether to buy in the area — you’re not imagining it, and you’re not the only one asking what’s being done about it.
What’s Actually Changing (and When)
There are two separate efforts underway, and it’s worth knowing the difference between them.
The Town of Mount Pleasant’s ramp and median project. According to the Town of Mount Pleasant’s own project page, this project’s status is listed as currently under construction, with work beginning in summer 2026. It includes:
- A new slip lane connecting Long Point Road to eastbound I-526
- A sidewalk running from the I-526 eastbound off-ramp to Wando Park Boulevard, for safer bike and pedestrian access
- The removal of one traffic signal at the intersection, so the remaining light can hold a longer green period for turning traffic
- A relocated crosswalk, moved from the I-526 eastbound off-ramp to Wando Park Boulevard
Project manager Rion Longfellow told Live5News the goal is straightforward: “It’ll be very big for vehicles going eastbound onto I-526 because that’ll just be in a free-flow condition. You won’t have to stop at a light anymore.”
The larger, state-led interchange rebuild. Separately, SCDOT’s own project page confirms a bigger, federally funded overhaul of the full interchange, aimed at easing both commuter congestion and the heavy truck volume feeding the port. This project reached a notification of award on June 22, 2026, and its construction contract was executed on August 7, 2026 — meaning it’s now formally under contract, not just funded and planned.
According to Post and Courier reporting on the project’s permitting process, the full rebuild carries a reported cost as high as $325 million, is fully covered by a $195 million federal grant secured in 2024, and is expected to take roughly three and a half years to complete once construction begins. Because the work affects about five acres of wetlands, the state is offsetting that impact by purchasing wetland and salt marsh mitigation credits near Lake Moultrie in Berkeley County.
In plain terms: the near-term fix (new lane, fewer stops) is already happening now, and the bigger structural rebuild is right behind it, with a multi-year build-out ahead.
What This Means If You’re Buying or Selling Near the Corridor
Commute time is one of those things buyers weigh constantly but rarely ask about directly — it’s often the quiet factor behind “does this location work for us,” right alongside the home itself. It’s one of the questions buyers often forget to ask outright before they’re deep into a search, and this corridor is a good example of why it’s worth asking early.
A few things worth keeping in mind:
If you’re buying near this corridor. Today’s drive time isn’t necessarily tomorrow’s. A multi-year construction project can mean a rougher commute in the near term and a meaningfully smoother one once the work wraps. It’s worth factoring both phases into how a specific address fits your day-to-day — not just the snapshot you see on a single drive-by.
If you’re selling near this corridor. Buyers touring homes in the area are likely to ask about the construction they’re seeing or hearing about. Being ready to explain what’s happening, and when it’s expected to wrap, can turn a potential objection into a straightforward conversation.
If you commute through this area from Daniel Island. This corridor isn’t just a Mount Pleasant story — traffic moving between Daniel Island and points south routinely passes through this same stretch of I-526. Daniel Island’s own growth over the past two decades has only made regional road capacity more relevant to anyone weighing a move there, and it’s a factor worth discussing candidly rather than guessing at. Buyers who’ve been through the process on Daniel Island often say afterward that they wish they’d asked more questions about the roads and routes they’d actually use every day — not just the ones on the listing sheet.
None of this means a single answer fits every address. A slip lane change three-tenths of a mile away can feel very different than one that’s five miles away. Your specific situation — where you’re commuting from, when you need to be there, and how long you’re planning to stay — is what actually determines whether this changes your calculus. That’s exactly the kind of conversation worth having with someone who tracks these projects locally, before you rule an area in or out based on today’s traffic alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did construction start on Long Point Road in Mount Pleasant?
The Town of Mount Pleasant’s slip lane and sidewalk project began construction in summer 2026, and its own project page currently lists the work as “under construction.” The larger SCDOT interchange rebuild had its construction contract executed on August 7, 2026, also targeting a summer 2026 start.
What exactly is changing at the Long Point Road/I-526 interchange?
The near-term project adds a new slip lane onto eastbound I-526, a sidewalk to Wando Park Boulevard, a relocated crosswalk, and removes one traffic signal so the remaining light can hold a longer green for turning traffic. The larger state-led project rebuilds the interchange itself to handle both commuter and heavy port-truck traffic.
How long will the larger I-526 interchange rebuild take?
Post and Courier reporting on the project’s federal permitting process puts the timeline at roughly three and a half years from the start of construction. The project is fully funded through a $195 million federal grant secured in 2024, with total reported costs as high as $325 million.
Will construction affect home values or timelines for buyers near Long Point Road?
There’s no way to predict a specific outcome, and any real estate professional who guarantees one isn’t being straight with you. What’s reasonable to say is that a multi-year infrastructure project changes the day-to-day experience of an area during construction and again once it’s finished — both are worth discussing with a local agent when you’re evaluating a specific address.
Does the Long Point Road fix affect Daniel Island commuters too?
It can. Traffic moving along I-526 between Daniel Island and points toward Mount Pleasant and beyond regularly passes through this same interchange, so commute patterns for both areas are worth considering together rather than in isolation.
Both projects are still active work in progress, and construction timelines on public infrastructure projects can shift. If you’re weighing a move near this corridor — on either side of it — the numbers above are a starting point, not the whole picture for your specific address and timeline.
Whether you’re buying or selling in Charleston, Mount Pleasant, or Daniel Island, we’d love to offer a private, no-pressure consultation to talk through your options. Reach out anytime — no obligation, just clarity on how a project like this fits into your plans.
About 32 South Properties
32 South Properties is a real estate firm serving buyers and sellers throughout Charleston and the surrounding Lowcountry. Backed by more than 20 years of real estate experience, the team provides personalized guidance, local market expertise, and dedicated support from the first conversation through closing. Connect with 32 South Properties at 32south.com.
